In the general forum in the last year or so there was a very detailed discussion of this question.

one of the posters provided data showing the recorded noise (dba) of a variety of different caliber pistols.

I provided a discussion of the limitations on shooting to prevent hearing damage.

If someone who is more adapt using the search feature could call this up I think most of the issues in this discussion could be answered.

If you wish to protect your hearing, you should find out the noise in dba generated by your piece. Then you subtract the NRR your hearing protection provides. in effect if your gun generates a 128 dba when fired and your hearing protection has an NRR of 33. You find your effective exposure by subtracting 33 form 128 to find that your effective exposure is 95 dba. Per OSHA you can be exposed to continuous firing for 4 hours without experiencing permanent hearing lose.

This is a simplistic method designed for layman use. Most Safety or Industrial Hygiene people out there will/can find fault with it. It is intended as a field expedient to allow ordinary shooters to not have the hearing lose which so many of us have experienced.

Last edited by ltc444; November 28, 2012 at 08:08 PM.
Reason: add comments